Display device for merchandise



Feb. 25, 1936. c. w. KRESS 3 9 DISPLAY DEVICE FOR MERCHANDISE Filed March 17, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 EINTO h.

eh 25, 1936. CW KRESs I DISPLAY DEVICE FOR MERC HANDiSE Filed March 1'7, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ml nm Mumm- "Hig 7 JHHUW /6'5'IIIIIHHHHI;H 'IIHHIHHII 02 INVENTOR- @ATTORNEY- I Feb. 25, 1936. c w Ess' DISPLAY DEVICE FOR MERCHANDISE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 17, 1933 I 70 llnh, HM/" A Hum IIIIHHHHII 1 INVENTOR- Patented Feb. 25, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISPLAY DEVICE FOR MERCHANDISE Claude W. Kress, New York, N. Y. Application March 17, 1933, Serial No. 661,304 14 Claims. (01. 211-87) My invention relates to merchandise display devices and refers particularly to a wall rack for effectively displaying various kinds of merchandisc in a show room or the like.

The displaying of merchandise in an attractive, artistic and pleasing manner, in order to secure customers, is an ever present problem with stores and other merchandising sales organizations and particularly so for those who maintain show rooms. The merchandise to be sold must be displayed in the most attractive manner possible, while the furniture, fixtures and other display devices must present an artistic and pleasing appearance to the eye, in order thereby to provide for, as well as also to supplement and enhance, the artistic and attractive arrangement of the merchandise, thus providing a harmonious and pleasing setting for merchandise which itself is commonly attractive in appearance or is put up in artistically designed packages.

The merchandise display wall rack of my invention provides for utilizing wall space for display purposes, either to a practicable minimum extent along its length or to any desired unlimited extent along the length thereof, and from a suitable level adjacent the floor in a room up to a suitable level adjacent the ceiling. In carryi'ng out my invention, a plurality of two or more vertically spaced horizontal bars are rigidly secured to and run along the face of the Wall. These bars are made in individual sections to be joined together endwise, according to the total length desired for any particular installation. A series of horizontally spaced vertical bars are mounted upon the horizontal bars at the front thereof Adjusting means are provided by which the spacing between these vertical bars may be varied as desired. Also the vertical bars are readily detachable from and replaceable upon the horizontal bars.

Forwardly projecting individually vertically adfjustable merchandise display brackets are mounted upon the vertical bars in a manner providing for their easy removal and replacement, and may be thus mounted through the intermediary of an attaching strip carried by the vertical bar. These brackets are so constructed as to be individually adjustable between a horizontal and a vertical position, to any desired forward and downward inclination, and mso are provided with adjusting means for varying their length or extent of projection. An auxiliary or supplemental bracket part may be utilized when desired for holding in place a horizontal shelf plate.

ar reak? m e ed for i sl villall supporting merchandise, or these brackets may be disposed in a horizontal series of two or more thereof, for thus carrying a shelf plate extending from bracket to bracket along such series, and may be thus used either with or Without using the auxiliary bracket part. A vertical series of any desired number of such brackets may be mounted upon any one of the vertical bars. All of such brackets may desirably be of duplicated standardized construction, all of the Vertical bars may similarly be of standardized duplicated construction, while the horizontal bars may be substantially similar to one another.

My invention also has other desirable attributes and further includes various features of construction and combinations of parts, as will be clear from the following particular description of one embodiment of my invention which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which similar parts are designated by similar reference numerals and in which:

Figure 1 is a reduced perspective front view of an end portion of a merchandise display wall rack constructed in accordance with my invention and shown as installed on the wall of a room.

Figure 2 is a broken vertical section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged horizontal section on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a vertical section on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a similar section on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a horizontal section on the line 6-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a vertical section indicated by the line 'I-l on Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a horizontal section on the line 8-8 of Figure '7.

Figure 9 is a disassembly side elevation of bracket parts appearing in Figure I, with the bracket arm in reverse View.

Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure '7 but showing the use of an auxiliary bracket part, together with a glass shelf plate held thereby.

Figure 11 is a front perspective view of the auxiliary bracket part which appears in vertical section 'inFigure 10.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary front elevation showing a glass shelf plate extending between and supported by two adjacent brackets.

For the sake of conciseness and clarity, the following particular description will be confined rather closely to the specific construction of the merchandise display Wall rack of my invention which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings as a practical workable embodiment of my invention, with the understanding that the scope of my invention as expressed in the appended claims is not to be closely limited by such specific description.

A pair of substantially similar upper and lower horizontal bars 2| and 22 are run along a room wall 23 in widely vertically spaced relation with one another, being suitably spaced fromthe celling 24 and from the floor 25. These horizontal bars are shown as being in the form of square tubes or pipes and as rigidly secured to the wall 23 by means of anchor bolts 26, but in case of a wooden wall ordinary screws could be used. Ordinarily these tubular bars may be of about oneinch size, thus these bars, as well as other parts of the device of my invention areshown as drawn to full size scale in Figures 3 to '10 inclusive of the drawings.

These bars2| and 22 are desirably, as well as conveniently, made up of longitudinally joined sections, as indicatedin Figure 1 and as clearly shown in Figure 3 for the upper bar 2 I, the joint construction for the lower bar 22, being the same. This jointis shown as formed by means of a plug 21 fitting snugly into one of the sections where it may be fixed in place by means of spot welding, screws (not shown) or otherwise, this plug having a slightly tapering outer end portion over which the next section snugly but removably and replaceably telescopes. The upper bar. 2| has through its top wall alongitudinal series of equidistantly spaced round holes 28, 28 while the lower bar has a similar series of transversely elongated holes 29, 29 through itsbottom wall, disposed respectively in vertical alignment with the holes. 28, 28.

A series of horizontallyspaced similar vertical bars 30, 30.aresimilarly, mounted upon. the .horizontal bars 2| and 22 at the ,front thereof. These vertical bars are. shown as tubular. and of rectangular shape which is transversely. elongated from front to rear. Each of the vertical bars 3|], 30 is provided at the rear, in suitable spacing from its upper. end, with a vertically elongated slotted rectangular notch 3| andhas; therein a similarly slotted or notched filler block 32 which is shown as rigidly fixed in place by means of a pair of pins or rivets-J3; 33. The upper arm of this filler block rigidly carries a downwardly projecting tapering and rounded pin 34, forming a hook therewith.

The notch 3| in the vertical bar 38,;and ,similarly in the block 32, provides sufiicient vertical space for the end of the pin 34- to clear the top of the upper horizontal bar 2l, thereby permitting the vertical wall of this notch 3|, to be seated against the front face of the upper horizontal bar.-2|. The pin. 34 is so disposed that it may then bepassed downwardlythrough oneof the holes 28, 28 through the top. wall of thehorizontal bar 2|. The top of the notch-3|, includingthe lower surface of the upper arm of the filler block 32, will then rest upon the top of the upper horizontal bar 2|, for thus supporting the vertical bar 30, with its rear facespaced' forwardly from the adjacent face of the wall 23 of the room. This construction and arrangement is clearly shown in Figures 2 and 5, for two different ones of the vertical bars 30, 30. Merely by lifting and pulling forward any one of the vertical bars 38, 30 it may be detached and removed from the upper horizontal bar 2|, so far as any and 12.

of the above described features of construction are concerned.

Suitably spaced from its lower end, each of the vertical bars 30, 30 has in its rear side a vertically elongated or slotted rectangular notch 35, the upper portion only of which is similarly provided in a filler block 36, which thus has only a single rearwardly extending arm, at the top thereof. This filler block 36 is shown as rigidly secured in the vertical bar 38 by means of a pin or rivet 31. This particular pin 31 incidentally forms one of a vertical series of similar pins 37, 31 which pass through and at their opposite ends project from the sides of the vertical bar 30 adjacent theifront'thereof, such pins 31, 31 being shown in Figure 2 as rather widely spaced apart, and the purpose of which will soon appear.

It will be noted from Figures 2 and 4 that the vertically slotted notch 35 provides a substantial amount of clearance both above and below the lower horizontal bar. 22, with the vertical wall of this notch seated. against the front face of this lower horizontal barand with the rear face of the vertical bar.38 spaced forwardly from the room wall 23. Thus any one of the vertical bars 38, 30 may first have its anchor pin 34 engaged in one of the holes 28, 28in the upper horizontal bar 2|, as above described, and then this vertical bar .38 may be swung rearward into the above noted abutting relation with the lower horizontal bar 22, withthis vertical bar thenin alignment .with one of the holes- 29, 29, as in- (heated in Figure 1 and as clearly shown in Figures 2, 4 and 6.

An outer front channel strip 38, forming a supplemental vertical bar, telescopes. along the margins of its flanges over the forward margins of the verticalbar'f3fl with the edges of these flanges abutting against the projecting end portions of' the above, mentioned pins 31, 3?, with I the web of :this channel strip spaced a substantial distance from the front face of the vertical.bar.3ll. :This channel strip-'58 is secured to the front wall of the vertical bar 38 by means of avertical seriesof screws 39, 39. The web of this channel strip 38 is-provided with a continuous longitudinal, ,orvertical, series of equidistantly spaced vertically slotted holes Ml, 40 through it,

excepting at its extreme upper and lower end portions, as shown in- Figures 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 1O Thischannel strip 38 advantageously serves as a mounting for the merchandise-supporting brackets, to be described later, the slots 48,. 40 thereby being utilized, and supplements the main vertical bar 30 by which it is carried.

Each of the verticalbars 30,38 is thus equipped with one of the bracket-mounting channel strips 38, 38.

Each of the vertical bars 38, 38 carries a latch lever 4|, fulcrumed, by means of a longitudinal slot 42 therethrough, upon a rivet pin 43 passing through the vertical bar 30, at a level to come just below the bottom face of the lower horizontal bar 22. The inner or rear end of this latch lever 4| has thereon an upwardly projecting latch hook 44, having a right angular abrupt front face and an upwardly and forwardly inclined or tapering rear 'face" at the end of this latch lever. This latch lever 4| has a forwardly extending screwthreaded arm 45 passing through a vertical slot 46in the front Wall of the vertical bar 38 and through a somewhat longer vertical slot 45' in the web of the channel strip 38. The projecting end portion of the latch lever arm 45 is provided with a clamp nut 41, shown as a thumbnut, at the front face of the channel strip 38.

The clamp nut 41 serves as an overbalancing counterweight for the latch hook 44; when this nut is loosened. The bottoms of the slots 46 and 46 then serve as a stop for the forward arm of the latch lever 4|. When the vertical bar 39 is swung inward or rearward, as above described, the inclined cam face of the latch hook 44 will cause the latter to pass beneath the lower horizontal bar 22, thus lifting the loosened nut 41, as shown in broken lines in Figure 4. The latch hook 44 may then be engaged in the slotted hole 29 in the lower horizontal bar 22 and the clamp nut 41 tightened, as shown in full lines in Figure 4 and as also shown in Figures 2 and 6. Thus each of the vertical bars 38, 36 is firmly secured upon the horizontal bars ZI-and 22, being readily detachable and replaceable as well as also easily adjustable along the horizontal bars 2| and 22.

Each of the above mentioned merchandise display brackets has a mounting plate member 46, shown as in general of a triangular shape as viewed in side elevation in Figures 2, 1, 9 and 10. This mounting plate 48, at the rear vertical edge thereof, has formed thereon a pair of vertically spaced similar downwardly hooked attaching lugs 49, 49, these lugs being shown as spaced apart twice the distance of the spacing between the slotted holes 46, 40 in the channel strip 38. These lugs 49, 49 are desirably slightly beveled along their rear edges and are dimensioned to pass freely through slots 46, 49 and then to hook downward behind the web of the channel strip 38, as is shown most clearly in Figure 7. This mounting plate 48 will thus be supported upon the vertical bar 30 through the intermediary of the channel strip 38.

Releasable means are provided for firmly clamping and securely locking the bracket member 48, thus to hold it rigid and to prevent it being accidentally disconnected and dislodged from the channel strip 38. A deep and rather wide notch 50 is cut in the rear edge of this plate member 48, this notch being shown as adjacently below the upper attaching lug 49. An inwardly or rearwardly rigidly projecting stud screw 5| has its head 52 fixedly secured to the plate 48 within the notch 50, such as by slitting the end of the screw head to receive the edge of this plate, as is indicated in Figures '1, 8 and 9. A rather deeply screw-threaded traveling clamping cap-nut 53, shown as milled to form a finger grip, is screwed over the screw stud 5!. The flat inner closed end of this nut 53 centrally carries a rigidly projecting locking pin 54 having a tapered or somewhat pointed end.

When the nut 53 is screwed inward or rearward, asclearly shown in Figures 2, 7 and 8, the inner end of this nut abuts against the front face of the channel strip 38 and draws the hooks of the attaching lugs 49, 49 firmly against the rear or inner face of the web of this channel strip, thereby rigidly clamping the bracket mem face of the channel strip 38, so that then the bracket member 48 may be freely removed from the channel strip 38, and if so desired may then be repositioned thereon at a different elevation, or likewise at any elevation upon any one of the plurality of channel strips 38, 38 which arecarried by the respective vertical bars 30, 36.

The outwardly projecting upper end portion of the bracket plate member 48 has a disc 55 fixedly secured on one side thereof, such as by means of a pair of studs or pins 56, 56. This disc is segmentally toothed by notching lit at 51 throughout 90 of its periphery, this notching 51 being shown in the drawings as extending through the upper and inner quadrant of the disc 55, al-

though it could extend through a diametrically adjacent one of its ends, by means of which this bracket arm is mounted for both pivotal and limited sliding movement on the pivot screw Towards the adjacent end of the arm 62 from the slotted hole 63 and in longitudinal.

alignment with the latter this bracket arm fixedly carries a laterally projecting lug or stud 64,

although this lug could be diametrically oppositely disposed, provided the notched or toothed quadrant 51 of the disc 55 were similarly oppositely disposed, as above noted. The lug 64 is so spaced from the slotted hole 63 that this lug may have locking engagement with, or may be peripherally disengaged from, the notched disc quadrant 51, by sliding the bracket arm 62 longitudinally on its pivot screw 59.

With the lug 64 engaged in one of the notchesof the disc quadrant 51, the bracket arm 62 will be locked against swinging mqvement on its pivot screw 59. With this screw 59 then tightened, as shown in the drawings, the interposed end of the bracket arm 62 will then be firmly clamped between the disc 55 and the screw flange 6|,

thereby effectively preventing disengagement of the locking lug 64 from the notched locking quadrant 51 of the disc 55, since the bracket arm 62 then cannot slide longitudinally. By slightly loosening the pivotal clamp screw 59, the bracket arm may be freely slid inwardly and swung to a different position of adjustment, where it may be again locked by pulling it outward and tight ening the screw 59. This bracket arm 62 may thus be adjustably locked at the horizontal position shown in Figures 10 and 12 and in broken lines in Figure '7, or at the depending vertical position shown in broken lines in Figure 7, or at different intermediate positions of forward and downward inclination, such as are shown in Figures 2 and '1 in full lines. When the arm 62 occupies its horizontal position, it will be noted that its upper straight edge is flush and in horizontal alignment with the upper straight edge of the mounting plate 48.

The bracket arm 62 has through it a long longitudinal slot 65, to be utilized for lengthening or shortening the bracket as to its extent of projection. This slot 65 is parallel with the parallel edges of the bracket arm 62 and is nearer to" its lower edge. A rather thin substantially triangular merchandise supporting bracket plate 66 is fixedly secured upon the flanges of a pair of angle plates or bars 61 and 68. The flanges of these angle plates 61 and 68 extend oppo sitelyat the top thereof, from which these angle plates extend downwardly and extend longitudinally throughout the length of the bracket plate 66. The bracket plate 66 is mounted for slidable longitudinal adjustment along the bracket arm plate 62, being thus slidable along the top edge of the latter, with the angle bar plates 61 and 68 in slidable engagement respectively with the opposite fiat sides of the bracket arm 62.

A thumb 'screw 69 having a flattened finger piece and fixedly carrying a clamping flange or disc 1| passes loosely through a smooth hole 12 in the angle plate 61, through the slot 65 in the bracket arm 62 and screws through a hole [3 in the other angle plate 68, this screw 69 forming both aclampingscrew. and a guide pin for the angle plates 61 and 68 on the bracket arm 62, this screw 69 being spaced somewhat from the innerendsof the angle plates 61 and 68., These angle plates and thus the bracket plate 86 are further guided on the bracket arm 62 means of a guide pin shown as a screw stud "I l, near the inner ends of the angle plates 67 and 6 8, which loosely engages in a smooth lio'l'e 'l5 in the angle plate 61 andpassing through the slot 65 in thebracket arm 62 screws through a hole 16 in the other angle plate 68.

By means of the clamping screw 69, the bracketplate 66 may be adjusted to, different positionsalong and to project forwardly or outwardly beyond the bracket arm 62. With this screw tightened, the angle plates 61 and 68 will be sprung intd clamping relation with the bracket arm plate 62, thereby preventing sliding movementgof the b'racket plate66 along the bracket arm 62, it being noted that this screw 69 is not far removed from the loweredges of the angle plates 6.! and 68. The bracket plate 66 has an upstanding and inwardly directed hook-shaped ledge or overhanging angle flange 11 formed along its front edge This ledge T! will serve to prevent merchandise from sliding off the bracket, such 'as a pieture 18, as indicated in Figures 1 and 2, and similarly to hold in place a shelf, suchjas the glass shelf plate 19 shown in Figures 1 and 10, or the lbnger glass shelf plate 80 shown in Figure 12 as carried by two adjacent brackets at the same level.

When .a shelf plate, such as the shelf 19, is carried by a single bracket, this shelf, when disposed horizontally, may be steadied and securely held in place by means of an auxiliary or supplementary bracket'plate part or member 8 shown in Figures 1, 10, and 11, and adapted 'to engage with the inner edge portion of the shelf plate I9. This rear bracket plate member is vertically-disposed and is provided along the middle line of its horizontal length with similar upper and lower vertical and vertically aligned slotted holes 82, 82, between which and closer to the upper slot 82 there is a round hole 83 through this plate 8|. This supplemental bracket member 8| is of greater horizontal width along its top edge than the width of the bracket plate 66 along its front edge, and is narrowed vertically to form arms at its end portions. A forwardlydirected rightangular flange 84 runs along the top edge of thi's'plate membertl, and shelf-like lower flanges or lugs 85, 85 ar'e'turned forwardly from the lower edges of the narrow end portions or arms of' this plate 8|, so as to form channels with the overhanging flange 84.

This shelf-holding plate 8| is interposed between the front face of the channel strip 38 and the rear edge of the bracket-mounting plate 48, with the attaching lugs 49 of the latter passing through the slots 82, 82, as shown in Figure 10. The locking pin 54 of the clamp nut 53 passes through the hole 83, while this clamp nut clamps against the shelf-holding plate 8|, as shown in Figure 10. The forward portion of the glass shelf plate 18 rests upon the bracket plate 66 with its frontv edge engaged beneath the overhanging angle flange 11, while the rear edge portion of this shelf plate 19 is supported upon the two widely laterally spaced lugs 85, 85 and securely held in place beneath the overhanging flange 84 of the shelf-holding bracket member 8|.

Means are provided to check or prevent any undue bending of the vertical bars 30, 38, under a load of merchandise, particularly in a lateral direction, between the upper and lower horizontal bars 2| and 22. For this purpose a rearwardly bowed leaf spring 86, extending vertically along the rear face of the vertical bar 30, for each of these bars 38, 38, has its upper end secured to the vertical bar 30 at 81, while the bowed middle portion of this spring has resilient frictional engagement with the adjacent face of the room wall 23, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. A third or intermediate horizontal bar, similar to the upper horizontal bar 2|, could be run along the wall 23, with the vertical bars 30, 30 anchored thereto, but the simpler arrangement of the spring 86 has been found adequate for the purpose.

While in Figure 1, for simplicity of illustration, only three of the above described merchandise display brackets are shown as mounted upon the vertical bars 30, 30, it is to be understood of course that any desired suitable number of such brackets may be carried by each of these vertical bars. Also it is obvious from the drawings, particularly in view of the preceding description, that thevertical bracket-carrying bars 38, 30 may be spaced from one another either more or less than shown in Figure 1, or in Figure 12, and may be so spaced either evenly or unevenly.

A wide variety of different kinds of merchandise may be displayed by the device of my invention, of which only a few such articles may be noted, as a limited example, as follows: Cards, pictures, books, handkerchiefs, hosiery, perfumes, stationery, et cetera almost without end. It will be noted that the grillwork of the device, as shown in Figure 1, is artistic in appearance, and it will now be evident that many different kinds of merchandise may be displayed in an attractive manner by the merchandise display device of my invention, in fact, this hasproved in practice to be the case.

Thus it will now be evident that the objects and purposes of my invention, as set forth in my statement of invention at the beginning of this specification, have been realized in the carrying out of my invention as shown in the device of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and as above described. It is believed that the operation of the illustrated merchandise display device of my invention has already been fully described along with the description of the construction thereof.

It isobvious that various modifications may be made in the construction shown in the drawings and above particularly described, within the principle and scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

I do not limit myself as to materials, size, shape, or a particular arrangement of parts, nor to minor features of construction and relationship of parts, these being given simply as a means for clearly describing the device of my invention.

What I claim is:-

1. In a merchandise display device, in combination, a plurality of fixedly supported vertically spaced horizontal bars, a series of horizontally spaced vertical bars detachably and replaceably mounted upon said horizontal bars at the front thereof, display brackets mounted separately upon different ones of said vertical bars at the front thereof, and adjusting means providing for separately adjusting each of said vertical bars to different fixed positions horizontally along said horizontal bars, said adjusting means relatively to one of said horizontal bars comprising disconnectible interengaging parts adapted to form a disengageable connecting engagement between said vertical bar and said one of said horizontal bars through vertical movements imparted to said vertical bar for thereby effecting such engagement and disengagement, and said adjusting means relatively to another of said horizontal bars comprising an engageable and releasable latch adapted to prevent disengagement and disconnection of said disengageable and disconnectible parts relatively to said vertical bar and said one horizontal bar.

2. In a merchandise display device, in combination, a plurality of fixedly supported vertically spaced horizontal bars, one of said bars having a longitudinal series of equi-distantly spaced holes along its top and another of said bars having a similar longitudinal series of equidistantly spaced holes along its bottom and respectively in vertical alignment with said holes in said one of said bars, a series of horizontally spaced vertical bars detachably and replaceably mounted upon said horizontal bars at the front thereof, display brackets mounted separately upon different ones of said vertical bars at the front thereof, and means carried by each of said vertical bars adapted for separately mounting such verticalbar upon said horizontal bars comprising a downwardly projecting hook to engage downwardly in one of said holes in the top of said one of said bars, an upwardly projecting hook to engage upwardly in one of said holes in the bottom of said another of said bars, one of said hooks being fixedly carried by said vertical bar, and means providing for moving the other said hook on said vertical bar in such manner as to effect its engagement with and its disengagement from the adjacent said horizontal bar.

3. In a merchandise display device, in combination, a plurality of fixedly supported vertically spaced horizontal bars of which the uppermost of said bars has a longitudinal series of equidistantly spaced holes therein along its upper side and the lowermost of said bars has a longitudinal series of equidistantly spaced holes therein along its lower side disposed respectively in vertical alignment with said holes in said uppermost bar, a series of horizontally spaced vertical bars at the front of said horizontal bars, a downwardly projecting hook fixedly carried by a said vertical bar to engage downwardly in one of said holes in said uppermost horizontal bar, an upwardly projecting hook movably carried by said vertical bar to engage upwardly in one of said holes in saidlowermost horizontal bar, and means providing for moving the latter hook into and out of its said engagement.

4. In a merchandise display device, in combination, a plurality of fixedly supported vertically spaced rectangular tubular horizontal bars of which the uppermost of said bars has a longitudinal series of equidistantly spaced holes through its top wall and the lowermost of said bars has a longitudinal series of equidistantly spaced holes through its bottom wall disposed respectively in vertical alignment with said holes in said uppermost bar, a series of horizontally spaced rectangular tubular vertical bars immediately at the front of said horizontal bars and notched thereover, a filler piece fixed within a said vertical bar and shaped to extend over the top of said uppermost horizontal bar where the vertical bar is notched, a downwardly projecting pin fixedly carried by said filler piece to extend through one of said holes in the top wall of said uppermost horizontal bar for thereby detachably and replaceably mounting said vertical bar on said uppermost horizontal bar, a filler piece within said vertical bar where the latter is notched for said lowermost horizontal bar and forming an abutment at the front face of the latter, a latch lever pivotally and slidably fulcrumed within said vertical bar to extend beneath said lowermost horizontal bar and at its inner end having an upwardly projecting latch hook to engage through one of said holes in the lower wall of said wermost horizontal bar and this latch lever having a forwardly extending screw-threaded arm, and a clamp nut on said arm for securely maintaining said latch hook at its engaging position with said latter filler piece abutting against the front face of said lowermost horizontal bar and providing for the release of said latch hook by loosening said nut.

5. In a merchandise display device, in combination, a plurality of fixedly supported vertically spaced horizontal bars, a series of horizontally spaced vertical bars detachably and replaceably mounted upon said horizontal bars at the front thereof, and adjusting means providing for separately adjusting each of said vertical bars to different fixed positions horizontally along said horizontal bars, said adjusting means relatively to one of said horizontal bars comprising disconnectible interengaging parts adapted to form a disengageable connecting engagement between said vertical bar and said one of said horizontal bars through vertical movements imparted to said vertical bar for thereby effecting such engagement and disengagement, and said adjusting means relatively to another of said horizontal bars comprising an engageable and releasable latch adapted to prevent disengagement and disconnection of said disengageable and disconnectible parts relatively to said vertical bar and said one horizontal bar.

6. In a merchandise display device, in combination, a plurality of fixedly supported vertically spaced horizontal bars, one of said bars having a longitudinal series of equidistantly spaced holes along its top and another of said bars having a similar longitudinal series of equidistantly spaced holes along its bottom and respectively in vertical alignment with said holes in said one of said bars, a series of horizontally spaced vertical bars detachably and replaceably mounted upon said horizontal bars at the front thereof, and means carried by each of said vertical ,bars' adapted for separately mounting such vertical bar upon said horizontal bars comprising a downwardly projecting hook to engage downwardly in one of said holes in the top of said one of said horizontal bars, an upwardly projecting hook to engage upwardly in one of said holes in the bottom of said another of said horizontal bars, one of said hooks being fixedly carried by said vertical bar, and means providing for moving the other said hook on said vertical bar in such manner as to effect its engagement with and its disengagement from the adjacent said horizontal bar.

7. The invention defined in claim 3, in combination with a plurality of supplemental vertical bars respectively fixedly carried by and extending along the front of each of said horizontally spaced vertical bars.

8. The invention defined in claim 4, in combination with a plurality of channel strips forming supplemental vertical bars respectively extending along the front of and each having its flanges telescoped over the sides of and with its web spaced from the front face of a said rectangular tubular vertical bar, and means adapted to secure said channel strip fixedly in place on said rectangular tubular vertical bar.

9. The invention defined in claim 5; in combination with a plurality of supplemental vertical bars respectively fixedly carried by and extending along the front of each of said horizontally spaced vertical bars;

lO The invention defined in claim 6, in combination with a plurality of supplemental vertical bars respectively fixedly carried by and extending along the front of each of said horizontally spaced vertical bars.

11. In a merchandise display device, in combination, a plurality of fixedly supported vertically spaced tubular horizontal bars, a series of horizontally spaced tubular main vertical bars mounted solely upon said horizontal bars at the front thereof, a plurality of channel strips forming supplemental vertical bars respectively extending along the front of and each having its flanges in engagement with a said main vertical bar and with its web spaced from the front face of said main vertical bar, and means adapted to secure said channel strip fixedly in place on said main vertical bar.

12. in a merchandise display device, in combination, a" plurality of fixedly supported. vertically spaced rectangular tetragonal tubular horizontal bars, a series of horizontally spaced rectangular tetragonal tubular main vertical bars mounted solely upon said horizontal bars at the front thereof, a plurality of right-angled channel strips forming supplemental vertical bars respectively extending along the front of and each having its flanges telescoped over the opposite sides of a. said main vertical bar with its fiat web spaced from the front face of said main vertical bar, and means adapted to secure said channel strip fixedly in place on said main vertical bar.

13. In a merchandise display device, in combination, a plurality of fixedly supported vertically spaced tubular horizontal bars, a series of horizontally spaced tubular main vertical bars mounted solely upon said horizontal bars'at the front thereof, means carried within each of said tubular main vertical bars adapted for separately disconiiectibly mounting said tubular main vertical bars upon said tubular horizontal bars, a plurality of channel strips forming supplemental vertical bars respectively extending along the front of and each having its flanges in engagement with a said main vertical bar and with its web spaced from the front face of said main vertical bar, and means adapted to secure said channel strip fixedly in place on said main vertical bar.

14. In a merchandise display device, in combination, a plurality of fixedly supported vertically spaced rectangular tetragonal tubular horizontal bars, a series of horizontally spaced rectangular tetragonal tubular main vertical bars mounted F solely upon said horizontal bars at the front thereof, means carried within each of said tubular main vertical bars adapted for separately disconnectibly mounting said tubular main vertical bars upon said tubular horizontal bars, a plurality of right-angled channel strips forming supplemental vertical bars respectively extending along the front of and each having its flanges telescoped over the. opposite sides of a said main vertical bar with its fiat web spaced from the front face of said main vertical bar, and means adapted to secure said channel strip fixedly in place on said main vertical bar.

CLAUDE W. KRESS. 

